Hit-and-Run Medical Help Sought

A hit and run took place in Carpinteria on April 16. The sun was shining bright over a busy street, yet not a single person assisted the victim, Christine Garcia. She was hit while riding her bicycle at the parking lot entrance to the 7-Eleven on Calle Real, where she worked at the time, and the driver of the truck left the scene while his or her children stared out the window at Christine.

She crawled away from oncoming traffic and pushed her damaged bicycle eight blocks home before her housemates took her to the hospital to have her broken arm set in a cast. She also underwent two hours of surgery to cauterize the broken blood vessels and arteries in her left leg. The process was complicated by her blood thinners, which she’s been taking since her heart attack in February.

A longtime Carpinteria resident, Christine had recently returned from Las Vegas, where every Easter for the past four years she has volunteered her energy and spirit to dress up as the Easter Bunny for the “E-Bunny Program,” which makes sure every child has an Easter basket.

Christine has ongoing health concerns, and the apathy shown to her during her time of need is discouraging. She lost her job because she couldn’t work with a broken arm and a bum leg. A charity account in her name has been opened to assist in the recovery of, in part, our civic pride and her medical bills. She rode a bicycle out of necessity; her medical bills are most assuredly insurmountable.

For donation information please contact Christine Garcia at christinasrecoveryfund2015@gmail.com or Joseph Contreras at Chase Bank (805-683-3106) regarding the Christine Garcia charity account. Thank you.